Congress budget deal will reimburse NYC for Trump Tower security in ‘protection package’ split with Florida
Congress agreed to a budget deal Sunday night that allocates money to pay New York City back for funds spent on protecting Trump Tower, reports the New York Daily News. The bipartisan agreement creates a $68 million “protection package,” which will reportedly be split with Florida, where Trump’s Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago mansion serves as his vacation home.
The cost of protecting the president’s Midtown home and headquarters was among much-debated budget items that included military spending, border security and funding for the controversial wall between the U.S. and Mexico. New York lawmakers have been calling on the federal government to reimburse and make future payments toward the approximately $146,000 daily cost of securing the tower where his wife, Melania, and 10-year-old son Barron still reside–though Trump himself hasn’t been in residence since his January 20th inauguration. Trump is expected to visit Manhattan this week in his first trip home since he took office.
The House and Senate will vote on the deal Friday. “This agreement is a good agreement for the American people, and takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who was among those who requested reimbursement and had said New York City should refuse to provide police protection for the First Family unless Congress agreed to foot the bill. “The bill ensures taxpayer dollars aren’t used to fund an ineffective border wall, excludes poison pill riders, and increases investments in programs that the middle-class relies on, like medical research, education and infrastructure,” said Schumer (D-N.Y.).
The budget deal compromise would mean the government is funded through the end of the fiscal year. Highlights include $15 billion in additional defense spending to fight terrorism and $1.5 billion in border security funds for infrastructure repair and technology improvement. Additional funding for a southern border wall with Mexico is off the table, as is a funding cut for Planned Parenthood and a rider that would block sanctuary cities like New York City from getting new grant funding,
[Via NYDN]
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